Two outdoor art festivals take place the weekend of March 15 and 16. The 3rd Annual Downtown Sarasota Fine Art and Craft Fair will be held along Main Street and the 17th Annual Peace River Art Festival will be held in Laishley Park on Nesbit Street in Punta Gorda.
MORE INFORMATION:
The Downtown Sarasota Fine Art and Craft Fair is a Howard Alan Event.
Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
Admission is free.
This festival is known for life-size sculpture, paintings, photography, jewelry and ceramic art. The festival also boasts an amazing craft and green market area, offering a diverse range of hand-picked goods and eco-friendly products.
The Peace River Art Festival is a Boulderbrook Production event.
Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.
Nationally recognized juried artists represent various mediums including art glass, fiber arts, jewelry, leather goods, metalwork, oil and acrylic paintings, photography, pottery, stone sculptures and watercolor. In an effort to limit repetition in artworks, Boulderbrook limits the festival to 50 artists.
The City of Punta Gorda and local nonprofits have been instrumental in making this a treasured community event.
Boulderbrook’s featured artist at this festival is Marcus Thomas.
Thomas originally intended to work in commercial recreation as an activities director at a resort, but shortly after graduation, he was paralyzed from the shoulders down in a ski accident. A year later, his wife, Anne, gave him a set of Crayola watercolors for Christmas. From there, he taught himself to paint with brushes rigged to fit into his mouth.
Through painting, he remains active outdoors, visually absorbing all that nature provides, documenting interests and sharing his passion for life.
Also sharing this passion is Anne. “Without her love and tireless enthusiasm, the artistic pursuits and happiness that I cherish would not be possible,” Thomas said.
"Having been together for 20 years, we have battled to find direction in our bizarre, difficult and sometimes chaotic life,” Thomas added.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.